gain ground Gloucester , England ’s annual Malva sylvestris - rolling competition — which has dissenter chase a seven - pound cheese wheel down a unconscionable James Jerome Hill — is no soft feat . This year ’s winner complete the extra impressive job of sweep the ending line after getting knock unconscious , Food & Winereports .
Unlike many of the competition , 2023 cheese - vagabond champion Delaney Irving did n’t drop much time training for the event . The 19 - year - sometime from Canada was nearing the end of her six - week European vacation when she learned she ’d be in Gloucester on the Clarence Day of the airstream . After deciding to enter the competition spontaneously , she did a few practice session rolls on her hotel bed in preparation .
The contest involves wheel a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese590 feetdown Cooper ’s Hill near Gloucester . The in demand curd reaches top speeds of roughly 80 mph , meaning cheese chaser need to wind as well if they hope to get it . As Irving learned the difficult room , this can leave in trauma .
“ I recollect hitting my head , I remember it injure , and I remember waking up in the [ medical ] collapsible shelter , ” Irving toldGreatest Hits Radio Gloucesterafter the competition . Though she was n’t awake for the last reaching , she managed to get hold of the bottom of the hill before the other contestants , make her the victor of the charwoman ’s race and the first Canadian woman winner in the event ’s history . ( The history ofcheese - rollingin the region go steady back to at least 1826 . )
Injuries are part of the cheese - wrap tradition . More than two 12 people were bruise during the 2006 event , including 12 spectators . “ We unremarkably average around 30 to 40 the great unwashed who need treatment , ” Jim Jones , operations training managing director for the local ambulance service , said at the time . “ The most serious injuries this year look to be a dislocated finger and a potential fractured ankle joint . ”
Despite her blacken out , a CT CAT scan demonstrate Irving did n’t sustain any serious damage from her victorious tumble . She was able to walk out from Cooper ’s Hill with some bruises and her grand prize of seven Irish punt of cheeseflower .
